Collagen is a protein molecule made up of many amino acids (organic compounds present in protein). It is a key component of many connective tissues in the human body. It is essential to maintain skin health and the health of other connective tissues.
Did you know that starting at about the age of 20, our bodies slow the synthesis of collagen? It’s not known by how much, but many estimate about 1% per year. Simultaneously, environmental stressors continue to break down existing collagen. {*}
The reasons we slow our own synthesis of collagen are not simple, but it appears a number of hormones play a role in the aging process. There are many other very complex mechanisms at play. There’s actually a great book by David A. Sinclair, Ph.D., A.O. that talks about the many mechanisms and how to fight aging if you want to dive much deeper.
But to get back to collagen. Not all is lost. There are actually many things you can do that will help slow the loss of collagen, boost collagen production and thus slow your skin aging process.
What Can Damage Collagen and Decrease Collagen Synthesis:
Aging itself is the biggest factor in collagen depletion. Women can suffer an additional significant drop as they go through menopause. However, there are certainly other environmental and lifestyle factors that can speed up the process.
Sun Exposure and Collagen
Sun emits ultraviolet (UV) radiation. This radiation can be categorized into UVA, UVB, and UVC radiation based on their relative wavelength. UVC radiation has the shortest wavelength, but most of it is absorbed by the ozone layer so not much can reach our skin.
Here is an easy way to understand and remember the major differences between UVA and UVB rays. UVA rays are primarily responsible for (A)ging your skin. UVB rays are the ones that cause a (B)urn. Both radiation types will deplete existing collagen stores and lead to common aging effects like wrinkling, sun spots, sagging skin, discoloration, spider veining, and various skin cancers.
UVB rays cause damage to the outer layers of our skin called the epidermis and thus lead to the common burn appearance. These rays do not penetrate glass due to their wavelength. These are also a lot stronger in the summer.
UVA rays, however, penetrate to the deeper layers of skin and are not blocked by glass. The UVA rays stay consistent throughout the seasons, too. That’s why it’s so important to wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen even in the winter or when driving or sitting next to a window.
UVA and UVB rays both break down existing collagen through the activation of certain enzymes called matrix metalloproteinases, or MMPs. Yet another enzyme is activated to break down elastin (what makes your skin stretch and return back to normal).
These rays also promote the creation of free radicals that scavenge healthy cells for energy, thus causing DNA damage. If that wasn’t bad enough, the process of apoptosis (how our body kills off damaged cells) is also downregulated after exposure. This cascade of events will eventually lead to the tell-tale signs of aging and allow cancer cells to grow. {*}
Smoking and Collagen
Smoking is another leading cause of accelerated aging. One study has shown that rates of synthesis of Type I and Type III collagen were decreased by 18% and 22%, respectively in smokers. While the levels of MMP-8 (one of the MMPs discussed above) were higher by 100%. {*}
Smoking also limits the amount of blood flow and thus oxygen and other nutrients to skin tissues. This is due to nicotine which causes narrowing of the blood vessels in the skin. Many of the compounds used in tobacco are also responsible for basically killing your collagen production.
The act of smoking may also contribute to the development of fine lines near lips and eyes due to the facial expressions like squinting and pursing lips that smokers make when smoking.
Drinking Alcohol and Collagen
Drinking alcohol is incredibly dehydrating to all the tissues in your body. This over long periods of time will definitely lead to saggy skin, wrinkles and overall dullness.
Alcohol itself (also known as ethanol) is basically a poison to all systems in the body. When it comes to the collagen in your skin, alcohol consumption will lead to the creation of free radicals that will damage that precious collagen. It can also lead to puffy eyes, and exasperate facial redness. None of these sound attractive.
If you do drink, ensure that you’re sipping on a glass of water the whole time to fight the dehydration. You should also take a vitamin B complex in the morning (a natural diuretic to help with puffiness), avoid salt and use a powerful moisturizer on your face. It’s also a good idea to apply vitamin C serum to your face as it is a powerful antioxidant.
High Sugar / Carbohydrate Diets (Especially Fructose) and Collagen
We obviously all love sugar. But sugar damages our skin every time we ingest it. Eating a diet high in processed sugars (especially fructose) has been linked to accelerated skin aging and lower production of collagen both types I and III. through a process called glycation.
Sugar and fat (lipids) or proteins (amino acids) in the bloodstream combine to form proteins or lipids that become glycated due to exposure to sugar. These are called Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs – kinda cute, right?!) AGEs, in turn, promote inflammation and the formation of free radicals that damage collagen.
While we certainly consume AGEs through our diet (think foods fried at high temperatures), these do not have as much an impact as the endogenously (internally to the body) produced AGEs due to other factors that promote their formation.
Specifically, diets high in sugar as sugar is glycogen needed for the process of glycation {*}. UVA radiation we covered earlier has also been linked to higher AGEs accumulation in multiple studies {*}. So cut back on the sugar and wear sunscreen to boost? ๐
Diets Low in Antioxidants and Collagen
Antioxidants inhibit oxidation. Oxidation is a process that forms free radicals. In turn, these free radicals (atoms or molecules with unpaired electrons) scavenge healthy cells and cause damage and even DNA mutations. This can give rise to cancer cell growth, but also many other major disorders.
A diet high in anti-oxidants will inhibit the ability of free radicals to react with healthy cells. And a diet low in antioxidants will lead to a higher activity of free radicals causing further oxidative stress to healthy cells. {*}
How to Boost Collagen Production and Slow Skin Aging
Even if you follow all the rules outlined above, you can still do more to help your body regenerate skin cells and produce more collagen. One option is to consume collagen using a number of collagen supplements on the market.
You can also reap these health benefits if you just add more collagen and collagen-building boosters to your regular diet.
Dietary Sources of Collagen
Gelatin is a form of collagen bound to other tissues that have been cooked at a relatively high temperature. You can see it when it is cooled in the refrigerator as it turns into a gel-like substance.
- Chicken knuckles are a great source of Type II collagen necessary for joint health. And chicken skin is rich in collagen Type I – the most abundant collagen in a human body.
- Fish with the skin is another wonderful source of Type I collagen as well.
- Gelled meats and bone broth are some of the best dietary sources of gelatin (a form of collagen). And beef itself contains three of the most abundant amino acids in collagen: glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline.
- Eggs, including both the yolk and the egg white, are rich in collagen and collagen-building amino acids.
- And, obviously, you can eat gelatin in the form of gelatin dessert.
Other Collagen-building Boosters
Consumption of the following products can also naturally stimulate the synthesis of collagen:
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that prevents collagen breakdown: consume many citrus fruits, peppers, tomatoes, and broccoli to help boost collagen production. {*}
Lycopene is another powerful antioxidant that reduces oxidative stress and collagen break down: tomatoes, especially sundried, are very rich in it. {*}
Anthocyanidins are natural plant compounds that may protect against photoaging: in black currant (my favorite berry of all time!), blackberries, blueberries, and most any berries. {*}
Copper activates certain enzymes required for proper collagen formation: get more through oysters, crab, nuts, and seeds. {*}
Vitamin A actually stops mechanisms that degrade collagen: find it in many yellow and orange vegetables and fruits, but also dark greens and broccoli.
Proline is one of the three main amino-acids widely present in collagen: eggs, meats, and dairy products are all good sources to boost your collagen production.
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